UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Friday Nov. 30

* Britain's FTSE 100 index is set to open 6 to 7 points lower, or as
much as 0.1 percent, according to financial bookmakers. For more on the factors
affecting European stocks, please click on

* The index scaled three-week highs on Thursday, closing up 1.2 percent, or
67.02 points, at 5,870.30, cheered by promises of spending cuts at miner Rio
Tinto and by growing hopes of achieving a U.S. budget deal to avoid recession in
the world's biggest economy.

* London copper edged up on Friday, bracing to finish the month higher on
signs that a recovery in China's economic growth took root in November, although
worries over Europe and the United States kept gains constrained.

* There is no important economic data out of the UK on Friday, while in the
U.S. focus will rest on consumer spending figures due out at 1330 GMT and
Chicago PMIs at 1445 GMT, as investors try to gauge the health of the world's
largest economy.

* ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND - Royal Bank of Scotland could be forced to
explore the sale of businesses considered "core" to its operations after the
Bank of England increased the pressure on lenders to raise new capital, writes
the Telegraph.

BARCLAYS BANK - The UK lender said on Thursday it was prepared to
fight a proposed $470 million fine for alleged manipulation of the electricity
market.

BRITISH LAND : The real estate investor announced that Aramco, a UK
affiliate of the Saudi Arabian oil company, has agreed to let 24,392 sq ft of
office space at its new West End development at 10 Portman Square.

SPORTINGBET : The betting firm says it expects full-year results to
meet expectations as November has seen a return to normal trading levels, with a
particularly strong Australian sports margin.

HARVEY NASH : The staffing firm upgrades profit forecast, which is
now likely to be r oughly 10 percent higher than its expectations.

FASTJET : Africa's first low-cost airline says demand on Tanzania
routes outstripping supply and it is considering adding more flights.

THEO FENNEL : The luxury jewellery designer says EME Capital offer
deadline extended to Jan 11. The company says it remains in offer discussions
with EME but t here is n o certainty an of fer will be made.

CSR : The chip maker says tender offer fully subscribed with $285
million successfully returned to shareholders 49.08 million ordinary shares to
be repurchased at 360 pence per ordinary.

DEHRA PHARMACEUTICALS : The company made a $15 million contingent
payment triggered by the rolling 12 monthly revenue from the sale of DermaPet
products exceeding US$15 million in October 2012.

STHREE : The recruiter said it sees full-year profit in line with
market estimates a t 25 million pounds, while Gary Elden is to succeed Russell
Clements as CEO with effect from 1 January 2013.

HYDRODEC GROUP : The cleantech industrial oil re-refining group said
i t has signed a non-binding heads of terms to establish a potential Joint
Venture with an industry participant in North America.

TODAY'S UK PAPERS

> Financial Times

> Other business headlines
Multimedia versions of Reuters Top News are now available for:
* 3000 Xtra : visit* BridgeStation: view story .134(Written by David Brett)

Next In London Market Report

LONDON, Dec 8 European shares climbed to a
three-month high on Thursday, mirroring gains on Wall Street and
in Asia, with investors betting that the European Central Bank
will extend its asset purchase programme after a policy meeting
later in the day.

Dec 8 Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening between
16 and 25 points higher, or up as much as 0.4 percent on Thursday, according to
financial bookmakers, with futures up 0.3 percent ahead of the cash
market open.

Dec 8 Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening between
16 and 25 points higher, or up as much as 0.4 percent on Thursday, according to
financial bookmakers.
* The UK blue chip index was up 1.8 percent to 6,902.23 at its close on
Wednesday, as investors snapped up bank and mining stocks and rotated out of
more "defensive" parts of the market.
* GLENCORE: Russia said on Wednesday it sold a stake in oil giant Rosneft
for 10.5 billion euros ($11.3 billion) to Qatar and com

Trending Stories

Sponsored Topics

Reuters is the news and media division of Thomson Reuters. Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Learn more about Thomson Reuters products: